Let me introduce you to what my fifth-grade teacher would have considered a “pen pal”. I was blessed to meet Brian Palma when I traveled to Honduras in 2016, and we’ve remained connected ever since. He is a 19-year-old talented artist who is interested in cinema and painting. He currently collaborates with the OYE Communica program in Honduras building his audiovisual portfolio. Without further ado, please read my transcript of some themes from Brian's life that he shared with me.

le·ss·ons

Brian:

Growing up in Honduras… Maybe it’s not what you expect to read, or maybe you don’t even want to read it, but you’ll learn something valuable. 

I am 19 years old. I live in Honduras, one of the most dangerous countries in the world and one of the poorest. When I was 6 years old, I started school and every morning from Monday to Friday me and my siblings would walk to school. At that stage of my life, I made many friends. I had good grades, I was a good sportsman, and I was beginning to draw and paint. Things were great. 

When I turned 9 years old, there was an event too personal to share that marked the course of my life. My family and I lost something very valuable to us, but this has taught me that I am not alone. We are not alone. It has taught me that despite the problems of the world, to continue to smile.

Not having the emotional support of the most important people in my life, would have led me to give up many moments without even trying. I have learned though that “he who doesn’t risk, never wins.” You must take risks because often times, the decisions you make don’t only impact and affect just you. 

com·mu·ni·ca·tion

“How are we going to move forward?”, Brian stated.

Brian:

You realize how hard it is to try and move forward in this country. The media play an important role in the lives of Hondurans, with constant notices of deaths, corruptions, and horrific data. 

• Poor

• No Education

• Corrupt

• Armed Robbery

• Gangs

• Children Enslaved to Work

And I can on with the list of regrettable events that are publicized that goes on here. The media continue to transmit fear and terror to the population. People are locked up in a bubble, where talking about horrible things is normal and is part of casual conversation. I am not sharing this with you so that you feel sorry for my life or Hondurans. This is so that you understand just how valuable communication is in our lives. 

Brian states that communication is what ties relationships together instilling trust and security. Through communicating we learn just how valuable we are, just how uniquely but commonly human each one of us are. It allows us to find ourselves. It is what organizes us, but it can also break us. In order to face the difficulties of communication and blur out the noise (like the media that generalizes Honduras), we must recognize what is real and what isn’t. And, then we must accept it and adapt to our circumstances by being vulnerable enough to communicate our ideas with each other. 

proc·la·ma·tions

Brian:

“I am an Artist”. Maybe you don’t know anything about me or see some of my works. Maybe they don’t give me the recognition I want in my country. But I am still an artist. Brian encourages that we don’t be afraid to proclaim our craft, in fact, he says we should take the initiative to proclaim it and not expect others to do so for us. Say it over and over if you need to until you mean it. 

Brian: Receiving the support of OYE Honduras is one of the best things that has happened to me. For Brian, being part of the Communica program has got him to the point of being bold enough to proclaim his skills confidently. He states that the people he met there changed his life and changed the way he thinks. 

What are your proclamations, whatever they may be? 

“I will survive in Honduras”, is one of my proclamations. 

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all my friends here and around the world for the love and the support that has got me to the point of writing this”, is another one of my proclamations. 

I am doing it with my effort and your help and support, so really... thank you! 

Yours Faithfully, 

Brian Palma Castaneda